It is known to control the operation of various types of equipment and devices utilizing a separate electronic device which is configured to transmit command and/or control signals to the equipment or device. These separate electronic devices are usually referred to as “remote controls”. Sometimes a remote control can also receive and interpret signals as well as transmitting them.
Remote controls can send control and/or command signals to associated equipment or devices via a range of protocols and transmission mechanisms. In the field of consumer electronic devices, it is common for a remote control to include an infra-red LED which transmits a series of pulses which are received by an infra-red receiver provided as part of the device being controlled. Each command and/or control is associated with a unique pattern of pulses, which are recognized by the infra-red receiver in cooperation with a suitable processor. Each command or control may be actuated by a separate button or combination of buttons provided on the remote control. It is also known for remote controls to transmit command or control signals via wireless or radiofrequency channels, and also for remote controls to be provided with receivers or transceivers to enable them to receive signals from a target device.
It has been known for some time to provide remote controls for televisions. These initially simple devices became more complicated as the number of channels increased and interactive services began to be provided via television broadcast signals, which meant that additional functionalities had to be included in the controls. Presently, a typical television remote control may have many tens of buttons, for example up to fifty or sixty. This can be confusing for consumers.
Furthermore, the typical home nowadays has multiple devices each being provided with their own remote control. For example a typical household may comprise separate remote controls for a television, DVD player, Blu-Ray player, set-top box, games console, hi-fi system, wireless music player, VCR and so on. Because of the proliferation of consumer devices, attention has been paid to the provision of “all in one” remote controls.
The concept behind an all in one remote control is for a single remote control to be provided, which is compatible with or can be programmed for operation with a number of different devices. One problem with the take-up of such all in one remote controls is the need to design a keypad layout that has sufficient flexibility to cope with the different functions and different designs of the various devices that it needs to control.
Existing universal remote controls therefore tend to have a very large number of buttons, for example fifty or sixty is not uncommon. This can be confusing for the user as the choice of buttons available can be overwhelming. It can be difficult to find the correct button, especially in dark environments.
In order to overcome these problems, it is known to provide double sided remote controls. One side may include some basic functionality while the other side may include the full selection of buttons and other extra functionality such as a Dvorak keyboard or alternative inferior design such as QWERTY. In some cases the chassis of the remote control is housed in a jacket which hides one side of buttons from the user's hand in use. The chassis can be removed from the jacket, flipped over and reinserted in the event of the user wishing to change the functionality that he desires.
Some manufacturers have also incorporated display screens within a remote control, in order to cut down the number of buttons that the user needs to use. Display screens may be incorporated on an existing “candy bar” type hand held remote control, or on specialized tablet style remote control devices. In either case, the display screen (which may be a touch screen display) renders these devices expensive and increases their vulnerability to malfunction if for example they are subject to mechanical trauma. In addition the multiple buttons are not aesthetically pleasing.
There is therefore a need for a remote control device which has few buttons but can provide easy access to a wide variety of functions, this device should also ideally be aesthetically appealing.